Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Chair yoga is good for any age, For many people, there are benefits to growing older. You find that you are able to spend more time doing those things you did not have time for before, as well as being able to spend time with family and friends. Unfortunately, however there are also issues that the older person is going to have to face. With age we all become more susceptible to certain conditions that can cause us pain and discomfort. Among these conditions Arthritis, rheumatism, incontinence and high blood pressure are the most common.

In order to combat these ailments that plague so many of us it is essential that we remain fit and healthy, employing certain techniques to keep us supple and flexible. For these reasons many older people choose to undertake some form of exercise whether it be walking, jogging or playing some kind of low impact sport. One of the best things anyone can do to keep themselves healthy, fit and supple is yoga, and older people are recognizing and choosing to reap the benefits of it.

As a form of exercise, yoga is adaptable to each person's needs and abilities. Senior citizens will benefit from it as it enables them to stay fit and active while also helping with their overall emotional wellbeing.

Certain types of yoga help to keep blood pressure at a normal level and also assist in balancing the nervous system. This acts as a preventative when it comes to heart ailments and other nervous system issues. Employing specific breathing techniques results in the senior citizen feeling more refreshed and it assists in cleansing the air passages which in turn can help in preventing certain ailments that affect respiration.

It is wrong to think that just because we age we should take things easy and not be too active for fear of causing some kind of damage to our bodies. Of course we need to remember that our bodies are not what they used to be and so certain considerations must be kept in mind. For instance, a high impact exercise would not be advisable for most senior citizens. This means that for many activities such as jogging would be out of the question.

However, it is now common knowledge that long periods of inactivity, such as sitting for extended periods, results in stiffness and tightness to the muscles. By remaining inactive we ultimately experience joint deterioration and we become less flexible. But this is not all. Inactivity has also been linked to other ailments such as osteoporosis, breathing difficulties, vision problems, pain, weight gain, and even sleeplessness.

When it comes to the health of the elderly yoga is a wonderful means of helping to alleviate many of the health conditions that we experience as we age. Senior yoga classes are becoming more and more available and popular and are being employed much more often in health clubs, senior citizen centers and retirement homes around the world as more seniors reap the rewards of this 4000 year old exercise program. It is never to late to start!

I've been practicing yoga for many years, and now that I'm teaching yoga too, I'm excited about sharing everything I've learned. Of course my own journey as a student continues. I try to learn everything I can about human anatomy and bring that knowledge into my practice and my teaching. I highly recommend that you do the same.